DETROIT -- The Detroit Cass Tech and Oak Park football teams each came into the season opener at Wayne State University with two of the top running backs in the state.

Oak Park senior John Kelly (offers from MSU and Minnesota) and Cass Tech senior Mike Weber (Michigan) each lived up to their respective reputations on Friday night. However, Weber's 150-yard, 3 touchdown performance was enough to lift Cass Tech past Kelly's 141-yard, 2 touchdown performance to lift the Technicians to a 27-26 win.

Kelly also had 76 yards receiving and a touchdown to match Weber's three touchdown total.

"Those two guys really did show what greatness was," Cass Tech coach Tom Wilcher said. "John Kelly made some spectacular runs. Mike Weber made some spectacular runs. I was very, very impressed with both running backs."

Despite coming out on the losing end of a tough loss, Oak Park coach Greg Carter could only echo Wilcher's words.

"The two best running backs in Michigan played tonight," Carter said. "Both of them did great jobs against outstanding defense."

Defense did rule the start of the game as each team failed to get any kind of drive going, leaving the game scoreless after the first quarter.

Yet, both teams began to bust out big plays, with many coming from Weber and Kelly.

"Jon Kelly has things that I don't have and I have things that Kelly doesn't have," Weber said. "I'm taking no credit. He played a great game, I played a great game. We just came home with the 'W.'"

Key to the game

A screen pass from Cass Tech sophomore quarterback Rodney Hall to Demetric Vance went for 41 yards to the Oak Park 7-yard line. Mike Weber then used two carries to punch the ball into the endzone with 2:16 to play, giving Cass Tech a 27-26 lead after Jalen Sparks hit the extra point.

Cass Tech highlights

- Mike Weber really showed his speed on his 70 yard touchdown run with 2:06 to play until halftime. After getting through the middle of the defense, Weber was all downhill as he out-raced the Oak Park secondary to the endzone. Before that point Weber was held to 27 yards on 10 carries.

- Oak Park got the ball with 2:09 to play on its own 45. However, the Cass Tech defense did not even allow the Knights to get a first down as junior Michael Onwenu caught John Kelly from behind to drop him one-yard short of the first down marker on a 4th and 3. Cass Tech got the ball back and ran of the final minute.

- Hall really came around in the second half with some big plays at quarterback. With his pass to Vance to set up the winning score, he finished the night with 170 yards on 13-for-19 passing with a touchdown and an interception.

Oak Park highlights

- Oak Park got on the board first with the first big play of the game. Lowman found wide receiver Varandre White for an 85-yard score with 10:46 to play in the second quarter.

- Kelly had a big third quarter, scoring twice for the Knights. Kelly scored his first touchdown by taking a screen pass 53 yards for a touchdown on Oak Park's first drive of the second half. With five minutes left in the third quarter, Kelly punched in his one-yard score on the ground.

- Kelly gave Oak Park a 26-13 lead when he had a magnificent run that saw him break four tackles near the line of scrimmage and bust out to the left for a 61-yard touchdown.